Sets of brackets and standards, also known as wall standards, racks, etc., are commonly used in storage and in display applications. For example, these sets may be used to support shelves. The brackets may alternatively have other configurations (e.g., hangbar, faceout) to support hangers with items thereon. The sets of brackets and standards are known to be practical, for instance in the retail sale stores, as the brackets are readily separated from the standards, whereby rack set-ups can be modified, for instance in accordance with a change of products being offered.
FIGS. 1A to 1C of the prior art show a variety of such brackets 10, each having an elongated body 11 for supporting items. The brackets 10 are releasably hung to standards 12 by hooks 13 at a rear end of the elongated body 11. FIG. 1A illustrates a shelf 14 being mounted to a bracket 10—the shelf 14 is typically supported by at least a pair of the brackets 10 spaced apart from one another and located at opposed ends of the shelf 14. In FIG. 1B, the bracket 10 has a hangbar 15. The hangbar 15 is a rod that is transversally positioned relative to the elongated body 11. Items are hung directly onto the hangbar 15, or onto hangers that are hung to the hangbar 15. In FIG. 1C, the bracket 10 has a faceout configuration, with a flange 16 at the end of the elongated body 11. The elongated body 11 therefore acts as support, for instance for hangers that will be hung onto the top edge of the elongated body 11.
Referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B of the prior art, a connector end configuration is shown, which connector end configuration may be used for any of the brackets 10 of FIGS. 1A to 1C. The connector end configuration is for use with the standard 12. The standard 12 is typically a slender plate or strip extending vertically, and having a plurality of holes 20. The holes 20 are equidistantly spaced apart from one another in the standard 12. The standard 12 may have a U-shaped section, an I-section, etc., and has a front surface 21 and a rear surface 22.
Still referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B of the prior art, the bracket 10 is shown having hooks 30, with an uppermost one of the hooks 30 being labeled 30′. The hooks 30/30′ project from a rear edge of the elongated body 11 and each have a downwardly extending tooth 31. A receptacle 32 is defined by the body of the hook 30/30′, the tooth 31, and a rear edge of the elongated body 11. As shown in FIG. 5A of the prior art, the hooks 30/30′ are received in the holes 20 of the standard 12, with the receptacles 32 accommodating wall portions formed between the holes 20, and ensuring that the bracket 10 is anchored to the standard 12. The teeth 31 prevent the bracket 10 from being pulled out of the standard 12.
Still referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B of the prior art, the hook 30′ has an upwardly-projecting finger 33. The finger 33 is provided to prevent an accidental dislodging of the bracket 10 in case of a upward impact on the elongated body 11. Indeed, the foremost vertical edge of the finger 33 is collinear with the foremost vertical edge of the tooth 31, whereby the bracket 10 must be rotated at a substantially large angle (e.g., 45°), as in FIG. 5B of the prior art, for the bracket 10 to be disengaged from the standard 12.
The pivoting of the bracket 10 to the angle of FIG. 5B of the prior art may be problematic for ergonomic reasons, or may complicate the installation of the bracket 10 when adjacent shelves are already installed above, etc. The required upper clearance may also be a constraint in terms of where the bracket 10 of the prior art may be installed. Moreover, when the brackets 10 are used to support a shelf, stock on the shelf must be removed prior to the pivoting removal of the bracket 10.